Kimber Stainless II failure to go into battery

[TLD]

I sent it in and they said it's a slide speed issue and I should be using FP10. Other wise they couldn't see anything obvious. I'm using either Rem oil which is a low viscosity as they recommend. If the gun won't work with anything but FP10 I'm not interested in it.

I have noticed that bullets that are not seated straight cause some problems, be it my reloads or factory ammo. The bulge seems to cause the cartridge to "wedge" in the chamber at about a 45 degree angle. This has happened with various bullets I've loaded, lead, FMJ, JHP, Hornady XTP, Ranier and factory ammo specifically Winchester, Remington, Amerc (which sucks).

Before I send this gun down the road, does anyone have any ideas?

[Religious Shooter]

Did you chamber check the rounds?

[Kingman]

From your description sounds like a tight match chamber. I notice you say the bullet not seated straight, that will be a problem for some tight chambers.

[TLD]

From your description sounds like a tight match chamber. I notice you say the bullet not seated straight, that will be a problem for some tight chambers.

I'm working on the loading bullets straight problem. I don't know if this accounts for all the issues, but it's a lot of them.

How would I know if it's a tight match chamber, beside calling and asking?

[mda]

Do not own a Kimber II but do own a Gold match. Never had a failure to feed issues that were caused by the gun. All failure to feed issues usually come down to the Bullets or Mags. Factory ammo has always worked. What is the overall length of the bullets?? To short or to long and you will have issues with feeding.

Have you checked reloaded ammo with a case gauge? If it will not fit gauge will not work in the gun.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: How many rounds have you shot through it? I use Mobil 1 car oil on my Kimbers. Try using factory ammo and see how that works. Hope this helps. Thanks, Eric

[Kingman]

What dies are you using that are giving you a problem with straight seating.

As for match chamber (tight chamber) I would imagine most kimbers are fairly tight. That is part of why they are known for their accuracy as a sloppy chamber will feed sloppier ammo, but will not produce the results.

[TLD]

I have about 5000 rounds through it. Most are reloaded. Various 230 rn loaded to 1.25" OAL. I've shot a lot of 200 g SWC too without much trouble.

Lately I've been shooting some factory Winchester white box 100 round packs and had trouble. I examined the cartridge and found it had the bullet bulge in the side too. I need to spring for some higher end ammo and see what happens, and a case gauge.

I started using the Lee FCD to remedy the problem and things are "better" with it. (I'm a six sigma certified blackbelt but don't take any data with my guns)

I was using the RCBS carbide die set. The expander die sort of belled the mouth so the bullets were prone to NOT sit straight. I've gone to the Lyman M sizer and it seems to seat better but I had a failure to go into battery at last weeks IPSC practice match. I contacted Redding (I use a T7) and they recommended the comp seating die, and why not, it's $100. Until I get a progressive, I like to seat and crimp together because it saves lot's of time.

I should cull the bad bullets but I'd like to load them all correctly. Is it feasible?

[Kingman]

Instead of spending a couple bucks here and there, save up for a 550 or even a square deal. If you know you are buying a 550 or 650 you can go ahead and buy the dies since they are not with the press when you purchase.

Seating and crimping in the same step does cause some probs though.

Dillon dies do nicely.

Cull your brass though. Honestly I never have had a huge problem with .45 brass though.

I don't like it when I have cases that load with a bulge.

[TLD]

I just dropped about a hundred into the chamber and all went in with room to spare. I've been loading just enough until I get it figured out.

Could it be a mag problem? Although I have had it happen with Kimber 7 round mags, and Chip McCormic 8 and 10 round mags.

I don't leave any flare on the case mouth. I try to crimp to the same dimensions as the rest of case, i.e., take out all the expansion so that the case is straight. I usually end up about .470 with a .451 bullet. Would a little more help "funnel" the bullet into the chamber?

[Merlin Orr]

.469 -.470 should work.... As to the bulge - is it the bullet making the bulge in the case? If it is that should have no negative effect unless it is in really crooked and that is unlikly...IMO anyway. If WWB does not feed I would say mag related.

[AikiDale]

TLD,

I'd cheat. Call Benny Hill at Triangle Shooting Sports, send him the gun and it will come back working.

[trodrig]

I could be wrong in interpreting your description of the jam but, it sounds like a "3 point" jam. Cartridge partially in the chamber, bottom of the case wedged on mouth of the chamber, and the rim stuck behind the hood of the extractor. Is that what you meant by "....."wedge" in the chamber at about a 45 degree angle."? If so, have you checked the extractor tension? Is it an internal or external extractor? I believe Kimber was replacing all of their external extractor models with slides that contain internal extractors because of repeated issues.

Hope this helps!

Trodrig

[TLD]

I could be wrong in interpreting your description of the jam but, it sounds like a "3 point" jam. Cartridge partially in the chamber, bottom of the case wedged on mouth of the chamber, and the rim stuck behind the hood of the extractor. Is that what you meant by "....."wedge" in the chamber at about a 45 degree angle."? If so, have you checked the extractor tension? Is it an internal or external extractor? I believe Kimber was replacing all of their external extractor models with slides that contain internal extractors because of repeated issues.

Hope this helps!

Trodrig

That sounds about right. It is an internal extractor. The gun is about 2002 vintage

[G-ManBart]

I could be wrong in interpreting your description of the jam but, it sounds like a "3 point" jam. Cartridge partially in the chamber, bottom of the case wedged on mouth of the chamber, and the rim stuck behind the hood of the extractor. Is that what you meant by "....."wedge" in the chamber at about a 45 degree angle."? If so, have you checked the extractor tension? Is it an internal or external extractor? I believe Kimber was replacing all of their external extractor models with slides that contain internal extractors because of repeated issues.

Hope this helps!

Trodrig

That sounds about right. It is an internal extractor. The gun is about 2002 vintage

Have you taken the extractor out and cleaned the tunnel really well? If not, it's easy to do and is often the cause of that kind of malfunction. When you get the top end off and clean test how much tension the extractor has. Hold the slide upside down and slip an empty case under the extractor groove. Turn the slide right side up and see if the case stays in place....if it does, see how easy it is to push it out. It shouldn't be hard to get out.

If you've put 5K through the gun and it was running pretty well for a while and then started having this problem, it sure sounds like a cruded up extractor tunnel which is good as it's an easy fix.

If the gun won't work with WWB it's not likely and ammo issue.

[Radical Precision Designs]

I sent it in and they said it's a slide speed issue and I should be using FP10. Other wise they couldn't see anything obvious. I'm using either Rem oil which is a low viscosity as they recommend. If the gun won't work with anything but FP10 I'm not interested in it.

I have noticed that bullets that are not seated straight cause some problems, be it my reloads or factory ammo. The bulge seems to cause the cartridge to "wedge" in the chamber at about a 45 degree angle. This has happened with various bullets I've loaded, lead, FMJ, JHP, Hornady XTP, Ranier and factory ammo specifically Winchester, Remington, Amerc (which sucks).

Before I send this gun down the road, does anyone have any ideas?

Please do not be upset, but after reading this thread I have an inkling of a feeling that the biggest problem here is with the shooter.

The manufacturer recommended a specific lube because they know it will work well. Second-guessing them or blatantly ignoring their recommendation (without trying it ??) doesn't seem practical. I have solved a lot of on the spot malfunctions at many matches with just a few drops of oil between the slide and the locking lugs. Just like magic !! When this happens I usually will recommend that they use and even higher viscosity lube there, even a grease.

Redding recommended the Competition seating die not just because it is expensive, but because it is the best. Period. I used to have tons of crooked bullets seating "long" Major 9's, and the Redding Competition seating die solved that problem. For me and many others.

Good advise is worthless, especially when it comes from a good source, if it is ignored or set aside without consideration. Give it a try, and then if it doesn't work as told ... then try something else. Or, as you considered already doing ... "send this gun down the road"... (although somehow I don't think you really wanted to do that.) After 5000+ rounds, I dont't think you should just go "hacking" at it. Not just yet. Try some easy cures first. Please ????!!!!

[TLD]

I sent it in and they said it's a slide speed issue and I should be using FP10. Other wise they couldn't see anything obvious. I'm using either Rem oil which is a low viscosity as they recommend. If the gun won't work with anything but FP10 I'm not interested in it.

I have noticed that bullets that are not seated straight cause some problems, be it my reloads or factory ammo. The bulge seems to cause the cartridge to "wedge" in the chamber at about a 45 degree angle. This has happened with various bullets I've loaded, lead, FMJ, JHP, Hornady XTP, Ranier and factory ammo specifically Winchester, Remington, Amerc (which sucks).

Before I send this gun down the road, does anyone have any ideas?

Please do not be upset, but after reading this thread I have an inkling of a feeling that the biggest problem here is with the shooter.

The manufacturer recommended a specific lube because they know it will work well. Second-guessing them or blatantly ignoring their recommendation (without trying it ??) doesn't seem practical. I have solved a lot of on the spot malfunctions at many matches with just a few drops of oil between the slide and the locking lugs. Just like magic !! When this happens I usually will recommend that they use and even higher viscosity lube there, even a grease.

Redding recommended the Competition seating die not just because it is expensive, but because it is the best. Period. I used to have tons of crooked bullets seating "long" Major 9's, and the Redding Competition seating die solved that problem. For me and many others.

Good advise is worthless, especially when it comes from a good source, if it is ignored or set aside without consideration. Give it a try, and then if it doesn't work as told ... then try something else. Or, as you considered already doing ... "send this gun down the road"... (although somehow I don't think you really wanted to do that.) After 5000+ rounds, I dont't think you should just go "hacking" at it. Not just yet. Try some easy cures first. Please ????!!!!

It's been malfunctioning since the day I bought it brand new from the factory. I didn't shoot it much when I first got it and few malfunctions didn't bother me much, but they do now that I have begun to shoot IPSC.

I don't think I ignored the info for the specific lube so much as I did not know about it until I sent the gun into Kimber not too long ago, with in the last year. He said to NEVER use grease, or high viscosity oil which I was at the time. I started using Rem Oil because he said that was better than the other stuff I had.

As far as ignorning Redding's advise to get the seating die, Redding told me about the seating die last week when I called them. I'm am trying to get the bullet straight and have greatly improved this process. All of my equipment is Redding except the .45 diies, so I know it's good.It may not have come out too clearly above, but I'm not 100% sure it is a realoding problem, but evidence suggests it. I'm not sure what you mean by "hacking" but attempting to solve the problem first with things on-hand is generally a prudent thing to do as opposed to running around buying lots of stuff that you may not even need.

Edited December 19, 2007 by TLD

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: The next thing I would try is some different magazines. The original mags that Kimber uses are not very good, at least in my Kimber. I use the Wilson 47D and the McCormick power mags. It changed my Grand Raptor into a feeding monster. Hope this helps and let us know what you find. Thanks, Eric

[JThompson]

Hello: The next thing I would try is some different magazines. The original mags that Kimber uses are not very good, at least in my Kimber. I use the Wilson 47D and the McCormick power mags. It changed my Grand Raptor into a feeding monster. Hope this helps and let us know what you find. Thanks, Eric

Those split followers never ran in my Kimber. I got some Wilson mags and it ran like a bunny. Borrow a Wilson from someone and try it.

[MichiganShootist]

I often shoot a Kimber Custom Target II in single stack. When I first got the gun I had all the same problems that you are talking about. I took it to a machine shop who had the technology to air guage the chamber. It was at the absolute tightest end of the range allowable. After that 3 minutes with a Dave Manson reamer opened the chamber just a tiny bit. Now 15K rounds later it still will feed anything and I have seen no problems in accuracy.

I had the same thing happen with a Springfield Trophy Match... a target barrel with a tight match chamber. If the bullet was .001 off on OAL it wouldn't feed.... the Munson reamer fixed that too.

Edited December 19, 2007 by MichiganShootist

[redwoods]

If Kimber said it could be slide speed, do you have the original 16lb recoil spring in it?

What about your thumb riding the slide?

Just some thoughts

Randy

[ocx]

A thorough cleaning, some quality grease and watch the thumb. Otherwise, a good gunsmith works wonders.

[TLD]

If Kimber said it could be slide speed, do you have the original 16lb recoil spring in it?

What about your thumb riding the slide?

Just some thoughts

Randy

I have the standard recoil spring - 16lb.

Thumb riding the slide is something I didn't think about. Hmmmm.....

[TLD]

A thorough cleaning, some quality grease and watch the thumb. Otherwise, a good gunsmith works wonders.

Kimber said "NO GREASE!" and they said it in capital letters too! I'll watch the thumb for sure.

[BBoyd]

That gun should feed factory ammo like corn thru a goose. your reloads might be a different story, but since you've stated it wont' feed factory ammo I would send it to Kimber, through the dealer you bought it from. Kimber should stand behind their product, call them and tell them you want it looked at and send it back to them. If the don't and won't make it right, post that info and what they said on this Forum. I know a half dozen shooters with Kimbers, myself included, and they run like there's no tomorrow.